Spring wheel



' manufacture, and highly tional view of the wheel Patented Mar. 13, 11923.

TAT

' eela JOHN BILAN, 0F FLINT, MICHIGAN.

SPRING WHEEL.

Application filed October 13, 1922. Serial N0. 594,322.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known'that 1, JOHN BILAN, a .citizen of Ukraine, residing at Flint, in the county of Genesee and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in spring wheels, the primary object thereof residing in the provisionof such a wheel that is of a comparatively simple construction, inexpensive of eflicient in operation.

A further object of my invention is to de vise a spring wheel wherein the same is provided with spoke members of a highly resilient nature and wherein a wheel provided with my type of resilient spoke need not be provided with the usual expensive pneumatic tires, but may employ, if found desirable, a cheaper type of solid rubber tire.

With the above general objects in View and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists of the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of my device, a portion of the same being shown in cross section,

Figure 2'is a vertical transverse sectional view upon the broken line 11-11 of Fig. 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the wheel hub showing the spoke members associated therewith,

igure 4: is a fragmentary transverse sechub and shows in detail the spacing wedge members positioned between the inner ends of the spokes, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line V-V of Fig. 4:-

eferring more in particular to the several views, my invention consists in the provision of a conventional type of wheel rim 1 having the usual integral side flanges 2 for receiving any desired form of solid cushion tire 3. The present device also consists in the provision of a novel form of hub 4 con sisting of a hollow metallic tube having anspoke nular-shaped end flanges 5, and rigidlysecured between the rim 1 and hub 4 are spaced resilient spoke members 6.

The essence of the present invention residesin the specific structure of these spoke members 6 together with the means for anchoring the same at their opposite ends between the rim 1 and hub 4 of the wheel. As more clearly shown in Fig. 2, each of these members 6 are of substantially U- shape in formation, the same being readily bent into shape from steel rod members. As will be readily apparent these U-shaped spoke members consist of side vertically extending legs 7 joined at their upper ends by a cross bar 8, which cross bar is'of a square formation. As shown in Fig. 2, these side legs 7 of each spoke 6 are so bent as to com verge inwardly toward each otherfrom their The extremecentral connecting portion 7'. lower ends of thesi'de legs 7 of each of the spoke members are adapted to be bent inwardly toward each other as at 8, these inwardly bent ends adapted to extend within the hub 4. For maintaining each of the side legs 7 of the spoke members in spaced relation to each other, annular-shaped washers 9 having suitable corrugations formed thereon are adapted for positioning over a portion of the side legs of the spokes to be rigidly secured to the flanged ends of the tubular hub 4 by bolts or rivets 10, these bolts or rivets extending between adjacent ones of the side legs, the annular flanges 5 of the hub and the adjacent washers having alined perforations formed therein for the reception of the bolt members 10. It will be readily understood that in view of the corrugations in the washer members 9 the corrugations will function as channel members for engaging over the adjacent side legs of the spoke members 6. Extending longitudinally within the hollow hub member l and being positioned between adjacent ones of the inturned ends of the side legs of the spokes are substantially U-shaped wedge members 11 suitably retained therein for presenting a smooth inner surface of the hub 4. It will be seen in Figs. 4 and 5 that the bolt members 10 pass through the outwardly projecting legs of the U-shaped wedge members for retaining the same in their desired position. Further provided within the hollow hub and engaging over the wedges l1 and the interned ends 8 of the side legs is a bushing 12 for presenting a bearing surface to the vehicle axlereceived thronghthe hub.

The upper square cross connecting bar 8 for the side legs 7 of each of the spoke members arerigidly secured tothe adjacent inner face of the outer rim 1 by retaining plates 13, these )lates having a central "depressed U-shapec over the connecting bars 8 of each spoke and the rim 1 --by rivets Mat;each end-thereof. Erom the above description it will be read yund rstan :th tin 716W o (my? im- "pr v d m viewing I pok whighly i without departing from the Esp iri't andscope =s 1 en con e o wi c 114 at neg bew eiltt h b'iendieu e zr m:Q t e Whe l, whi hesili nc i le suc f na ure :to a olutely idi'sn is wi h c tiona rm ofipnenmatic ire While'ther ii yli lieinash nren des r b Fthe-m t dsmb dimem o i h p ss t n- .ve'ntion, it is nevertheless .to be nnderstood h :m nor ehange ay .rme in of gt'he invention as claimed.

a-rim and a hub wherein Whatis claimed as new is 1. In combination with. a wheel including the hub has for'med upon each ,;of its tends an -annularrshaped portion 1 3 for engaging flange a plurality of U-shaped spokes interposed between the rim andihulo, means detachably connecting "the rim to {the outer end of each spoke, inwardly projecting portione formed upon the lower ends of the leg members ofeach spoke adapted for engagementwithin the opposite ends of the hub, a retaining Washer positioned upon the lower end. of the leg members and secured to the annular flanges of'the huh, and a hollow as shown in Figs. Ql;and 2 these "locking iplates .13 are secured to .the inner face "Q'li bushing withinthe hub overlying the .in- .wa'rdlyprojecting portions -upon the lower ends-of the leg members.-

2. In combination with a wheel including .a'rim and a;hub wherein the hub has formed upon its opposite ends an annular-shaped flange, a plurality'of 'Uesha'ped spoke memhers interposed between the rim and "hub,

means connecting the r m to the outer end of each spoke, inwardly ",pro ecting' portions .fofmed upon the-alower ends of the leg-members of each spoke adapted for engagement of the hub,-awasher within the opposite {ends secured tothe flanges of the hub for retaining spokes therein,

tending longitudinally within the h m heecting portions of tween the inwardly pro adjacent spoke members.

In testimonywhere'of I aflix my signature.

JOHN BILAN.

and wedge members ex-1 

